U.S. patent number 7,237,927 [Application Number 11/124,966] was granted by the patent office on 2007-07-03 for light emitting diode lamp with conically focused light guides.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Osram Sylvania Inc.. Invention is credited to Charles Coushaine, Ralph Johnson, Steven Sidwell, Thomas Tessnow, Michael Tucker.
United States Patent |
7,237,927 |
Coushaine , et al. |
July 3, 2007 |
Light emitting diode lamp with conically focused light guides
Abstract
A lamp component has a support with a base surrounded by an
interior wall defining a cavity with a central axis. A plurality of
LEDs are supported on the interior wall and generally aimed to
direct light towards the central axis. A center piece has a first
reflective surface shaped and positioned to intercept light
received from the LEDs and reflect such received light generally in
a direction parallel to the axis.
Inventors: |
Coushaine; Charles (Rindge,
NH), Tucker; Michael (Henniker, NH), Tessnow; Thomas
(Weare, NH), Johnson; Ralph (Bedford, NH), Sidwell;
Steven (Hopkington, NH) |
Assignee: |
Osram Sylvania Inc. (Danvers,
MA)
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Family
ID: |
34937460 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/124,966 |
Filed: |
May 9, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050281048 A1 |
Dec 22, 2005 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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60580411 |
Jun 17, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
362/554; 362/297;
362/235; 362/249.06; 362/249.14; 362/555 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F21S
43/243 (20180101); G02B 6/0006 (20130101); F21S
41/24 (20180101); F21S 43/251 (20180101); F21S
41/148 (20180101); F21S 43/14 (20180101); F21S
43/239 (20180101); F21S 43/249 (20180101); F21V
7/0008 (20130101); F21Y 2103/33 (20160801); F21Y
2115/10 (20160801); F21V 2200/17 (20150115); F21V
2200/00 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
F21V
13/14 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;362/252,249,297,350,555 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1 466 807 |
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Oct 2004 |
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EP |
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WO 02/97325 |
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May 2002 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Sember; Thomas M.
Assistant Examiner: Shallenberger; Julie A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Meyer; William E.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority from Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/580,411, filed Jun. 17, 2004.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lamp component comprising: a support having a base surrounded
by an interior wall defining a cavity with a central axis; a
plurality of LEDs supported on the interior wall and generally
aimed to direct light towards the central axis; and a centerpiece
with a first reflective surface shaped and positioned to intercept
light received from the LEDs and reflect such received light
generally in a direction parallel to the axis; further including
one or more optical guides located adjacent the respective LEDs,
each respective optical guide having a reflective surface directing
light towards the center piece; and wherein the optical guides have
light transmissive solid bodies with an input surface adjacent a
respective LED to receive light therefrom, and having an internally
reflective surface directing light and an output window
transmitting light from the LED and the internally reflective
surface to the first reflective surface, and wherein the solid
bodies output window that passes received light from the LED to the
exterior in a direction towards the first reflective surface has
lens features to focus light in the direction of the first
reflective surface.
2. A lamp component comprising: a support having a base surrounded
by an interior wall defining a cavity with a central axis; a
plurality of LEDs supported on the interior wall and generally
aimed to direct light towards the central axis; and a centerpiece
with a first reflective surface shaped and positioned to intercept
light received from the LEDs and reflect such received light
generally in a direction parallel to the axis; further including
one or more optical guides located adjacent the respective LEDs,
each respective optical guide having a reflective surface directing
light towards the center piece; and wherein the optical guide is a
hollow reflector body with an input opening adjacent a respective
LED to receive light therefrom, an internally reflective surface
directing light and an output window transmitting light from the
LED and the internally reflective surface to the first reflective
surface.
3. The lamp component in claim 2, wherein the hollow reflector body
directs light to the exterior in direction towards a lens to focus
light in the direction of the first reflective surface.
4. The lamp component in claim 2, wherein the support includes heat
sinking features to conduct heat from the LEDs.
5. The lamp component in claim 2, further including an optical
element spanning the axial projection of the first reflector.
6. The lamp component in claim 5, wherein the optical guide is a
fiber optic.
7. The lamp component in claim 5, wherein the optical guide is a
lens.
8. The lamp component in claim 5, wherein the optical guide is a
light pipe.
9. The lamp component in claim 2, further wherein the LEDs are
mounted on the interior surface of a carrier, and the optical
guides are substantially co-formed as a reflector body glidingly
fittable to the carrier.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to light sources and more particularly to
light sources employing light emitting diodes (LED or LEDs) and
more particularly to light sources useful in the automotive field
such as for headlights, taillights, stoplights, fog lights, turn
signals, etc.
BACKGROUND ART
In the past, most automotive light sources have involved the use of
incandescent bulbs. While working well and being inexpensive, these
bulbs have a relatively short life and, of course, the thin
filament employed was always subject to breakage due to
vibration.
Recently some of the uses, particularly the stoplight, have been
replaced by LEDs. These solid-state light sources have incredible
life times, in the area of 100,000 hours, and are not as subject to
vibration failures. It would be an advance in the art if the use of
LED illumination could be expanded to other areas of automotive
lighting, particularly if the emission of the light could be
adequately controlled for specific purposes.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to obviate the
disadvantages of the prior art. It is another object of the
invention to enhance LED lighting for automotive uses. These
objects are accomplished, in one aspect of the invention, by a lamp
component comprising; a support having a base surrounded by an
interior wall defining a cavity with a central axis; a plurality of
LEDs 20 supported on the interior wall and generally aimed to
direct light towards the central axis; and a center piece with a
first reflective surface shaped and positioned to intercept light
received from the LEDs and reflect such received light generally in
a direction parallel to the axis. The use of multiple LEDs directed
toward a single optic allows for excellent control of the color and
intensity of the emitted light. The construction also allows the
LEDs to be mounted to a heat sink for efficient heat removal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational, diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of one of the components of the lamp of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is an elevational, diagrammatic view of an alternate
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a similar view of yet another embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 5 is a similar view of still another embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of an optical reflector employable with the
invention;
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of an alternate embodiment of an
optical reflector; and
FIG. 8 is another view similar to FIG. 6 of yet another alternate
embodiment of the invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with
other and further objects, advantages and capabilities thereof,
reference is made to the following disclosure and appended claims
taken in conjunction with the above-described drawings.
Referring now to the drawings with greater particularity, there is
shown in FIG. 1 a lamp component 10 comprising; a support 12 having
a base 14 surrounded by an interior wall 16 defining a cavity with
a central axis 18. A plurality of LEDs 20 are supported on the
interior wall 16 and generally aimed to direct light towards the
central axis 18; and a center piece 22 is positioned about the
central axis 18 and has a first reflective surface 24 shaped and
positioned to intercept light received from the LEDs 20 and reflect
such received light generally in a direction 23 parallel to the
axis 18. The centerpiece 22 is preferably a mirrored cone.
The lamp component 10 in claim 1, further including one or more
optical guides 26 located adjacent the respective LEDs 20, each
respective optical guide 26 having a reflective surface 28
directing light towards the center piece 22.
The lamp component 10 includes one or more optical guides 26
located adjacent the respective LEDs 20, each respective optical
guide 26 having a reflective surface 28 directing light towards the
center piece 22. The optical guides 26 have light transmissive
solid bodies 27 with an input surface 30 adjacent a respective LED
20 and an output widow 32 spaced from the input window and transmit
light from the LED 20 and the internally reflective surface 28 to
the first reflective surface 24.
The optical guides 26 can be individual units or they can be
provided as a single piece 50, as shown in FIG. 2, with the units
co-molded such that they can be fitted into the support 12 all at
once.
The output window 32 that passes received light from the LED to the
exterior in a direction 33 towards the first reflective surface can
be provided with a lens 34 to focus light in the direction of the
first reflective surface 24.
Referring now specifically to FIG. 4 there is shown an alternative
to the solid optical guides wherein each optical guide 26 can be a
hollow reflector body 36 with an input opening 30a adjacent a
respective LED 20 to receive light therefrom, an having an
internally reflective surface 28a directing the light from the LED
20 to an output widow 32a to the first reflective surface 24. The
hollow reflector body 36 can also be used to direct light to the
exterior in direction 33 towards a lens 34 to focus light in the
direction of the first reflective surface 24.
A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 5 wherein the LEDs can be
mounted upon the base 14 and have a reflector 60 mounted therewith
to direct light that is emitted in a first direction parallel to
the axis 18 to a second, transaxial direction to center piece 22
where the light is again directed in a direction 23 that is
parallel to axis 18. Such a system would allow the use of
side-emitting LEDs.
The support 12 includes heat-sinking features as are known to
conduct heat generated by from the LEDs to an area away from the
lamp component.
In any or all of the embodiments disclosed an optical element 40
can span the axial projection of the first reflector 22. The
optical element can be a fiber optic, a lens, a light pipe or other
optical directing or enhancing medium
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the LEDs 20 are mounted
on the interior surface 42 of a carrier 44, which can be a printed
circuit board, and the optical guides 26 are substantially
co-formed as a reflector body 50 glidingly fittable to the carrier
44. As noted above, the use of the reflector body 50 greatly
simplifies alignment of the LEDs with their respective guide.
Additional refinements are possible by appropriately choosing the
outer configuration of the centerpiece 22. For example, as shown in
FIG. 6 the centerpiece 22 can be a pure cone. Alternatively, as
shown in FIG. 7 a centerpiece 22a can be a polygonal sided cone or,
as shown in FIG. 8, a centerpiece 22b can be a polygonal cone with
scalloped sides.
Accordingly, there is provided a lamp component that enhances LED
use for automotive applications as well as being useful in other
areas. The plurality of LEDs can be of multiple colors or single
colors and the light therefrom can be directed to an optical
element of varied configuration allowing for increasingly complex
usage. The lamp component is efficient and economical to
manufacture. Additional advantages reside in the spread of the
LEDs, which provides for good heat dissipation while concentrating
the light in a common beam. Heat sinking can be to the side,
thereby keeping the axial dimension small
While there have been shown and described what are present
considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes
and modifications can be made herein without departing from the
scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
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